Fireman{3 s pike pole or the like

ABSTRACT

A fireman&#39;&#39;s pike pole is provided with a head of generally triangular configuration with a longitudinally extending pointed portion and a laterally extending hook. A recess in the head opening toward the outer end is arranged to receive objects such as a hose, collapsed fire hose, an axe head or the like, and to hold such objects in position by a readily retractable locking element slidably mounted on the head at the outer end of the recess whereby such object may be manipulated, carried or extended to another person by means of the pole.

United States Patent Russo I 1 June 10, 1975 I54] FIREMAN'S PlKh POLE OR THE LIKE 3.837.023 9/l974 Spenccr-Foote 7/8,) R

6 h R N M I7 I ifif R0580 u PIIHHU Ewnuner-Evon C. Blunk Axxixmnl Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry l Filvdi June Zl. I974 Armrnqr. Agent. or Firm-Wm. Griffith Edwards [21 I Appl. No.: 481,706

[5H ABSTRACT n CL 294/") 7/1 294/24, A firemans pike pole is provided with a head of gen- 794/26 erully triangular configuration with a longitudinally exlsl I [m Cl 5} lm0 tending pointed portion and a laterally extending g Fie'ld 26 hook. A recess in the head opening toward the outer 7/] R l l l4 1 end is arranged to receive objects such as a hose. coli I. 4/7 2 lapsed fire hose, an axe head Or the like, and 10 m b such objects in position by a readily retractable locklsfil References Cited ing element slidably mounted on the head at the outer 1 end of the recess whereby such object may be manipu- UNITED s l AThS PA l EN rs lated, carried or extended to another person by means 1,875.6l2 9/1932 Johnson 7/l4v3 f h 2.0171369 10/1935 McGhee 294/l9 R X 31 23,173 11/1971 Hagqvisl 7 881 R 5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUH 10 1915 PATENTEUJUH 10 1915 SHEET FlG.6

FIG.9

FIG.8

FIREMAN'S IIKI'L POLE UR THE LIKE My invention relates to lire lighting tools and particularly to an improved fireman s pike pole for facilitating the handling of various objects in the course of fighting fires.

During the course of fighting tires. firemen use a pike pole equipped with a spike and a hook for cutting and pulling roofing away to afford access to the fire and also for manipulating various objects. At times it becomes necessary to transfer tools. hoses and the like to a fireman positioned on a ladder or other support and it is desirable that such objects be transferred to the fireman without requiring his moving from his position. At other times it is desirable to position a hose at a location remote from the firemen and pike poles are used to some extent for this purpose. particularly when they can be employed. for example, to push a hose section into position or to pull it away from an undesirable position without having to climb or to otherwise reach the hose. It is desirable to provide tools for facilitating such operations and, accordingly. it is an object of my invention to provide a Fireman's pike pole head including an improved arrangement for attaching hoses, axes or other objects thereto.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved pike pole head including an arrangement for attaching objects of different sizes and shapes thereto.

Briefly. in carrying out the objects of my invention in one embodiment thereof, a firemans pike head is constructed from flat stock steel and formed in a generally triangular outline, one side of the triangle being an elongated straight pointed portion extending in general alignment with a shank for attaching the head to a pole. A laterally extending portion forms the other two sides of the triangle, and an open recess is provided which extends between the lateral portion and the pointed portion. A releasable lock is provided at the open end of the recess for retaining objects in the recessv The wall of the recess on the lateral portion is shaped with strips or shoulders for facilitating the holding of different sizes and shapes of Objects to be attached to the pole.

The features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. My invention itself. however, both as to its construction and manner of use. together with further objects and advantages thereof. may best be understood upon reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pike head embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the pike head;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional elevation view of the head taken along the line 4 4 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are side. end. and top views, respectively. of the pike head holding a lireman's axe;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view showing a collap ible fire hose held in the pike head: and.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG 8 showing a round hose held in the pike head.

Rclerring now to the drawings. the pike pole head iliustrated in FIG. I comprises a body Ill made from flat steel stock and formed to prmide an elongated element 1] terminating in a curved pointed end 12 and a lateral portion 13 having a pike point I4 extending laterally therefrom The portions II and 13 form a generally triangular configuration, the pointed portion 11 forming one side of the triangle and the side 13 and the line between the top of side 13 and the point I2 forming the other two sides of the triangle. Between the portions 1] and I3 there is provided a recess I5 having a straight side along the portion 11 and a stepped sloping side along the portion 13. the sloping side being formed by a curved shoulder portion 16 and a step I7 and the bottom ofthe recess being flat as indicated at IS. The head is formed with an elongated shank 20 which is made sufficiently long for secure attachment to a pike pole indicated at 21 and on which the shank 20 is mounted in a shank or fitting 22 which is shaped to fit securely over the pole 21 and is securely attached thereto by rivets. bolts or other suitable arrangement. The fitting is tapered toward the shank 20 to provide a sloping or streamlined configuration which does not catch on objects adjacent the pole during use.

The portion 13 has an upwardly extending lug or end 23 in which is slidably fitted a locking pin 24 having a knurled handle 25 lying directly over the base of the hook I4. The far end of the pin 24 fits in a hole in the straight portion II and the pin is biased to its position toward the portion 11 by a spring mounted within the extension 23. One suitable arrangement ofthe spring is indicated in FIG. 4 wherein the extension 23 is shown provided with a bore 26 which is enlarged and threaded at the left end to receive a nut or threaded stop 27 provided with a screw slot 28 for tightening the first or base turn of a spring 30 against the shoulders formed by the enlargement in the bore 26, the base turn being of greater diameter than the remaining turns as shown. The spring 30 is formed with its turns normally in engagement and fits closely within the bore 26 and has its other end secured in a hole 31 in the pin 24. The pin is slidably mounted in a fitting 27 and may be pulled to the right by gripping the knurled head 25 so that the spring is stretched as the pin is moved. When the pin has been moved to the right an object to be held in the pike head may be placed within the recess l5 and the pin returned to its seat in the portion 11 to lock the object in place on the pike head. The pin is easily retracted to admit objects to the recess 15 in this manner and returns to its locking position on release.

The manner in which the pike head is used for bolding and manipulating various objects used by firemen in the course of fire fighting is indicated in FIGS. 5 through 9.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate the pike head as employed for holding a fircman's axe. The fire axe, indicated at 32, is placed in the recess 15 so that it rests against the shoulder 17 with the handle of the axe extending downwardly along the pike pole. The locking pin [5 fits across the top of the axe and locks the axe in position on the head. The axe cannot be withdrawn from the head without releasing the pin 15; this will be apparent because the axe handle and the greater width of the axe act to prevent removal in one direction and removal in the other direction is prevented by the flared shape of the axe blade, it being substantially wider than the passage through the recess 15. The axe mounted on a pike pole in this manner may be passed to a fireman working at poles length away and may be returned in the same manner. The fireman on receiving the axe extended on the pole may release it quickly from the pike head for use or he may employ the pike head hook for attaching the pike pole and axe to nearby structures while he positions himself better for using the axe. In some cases it may be practical to use the axe with the pike pole acting as an extension of the axe handle. The pike head of my invention thus provides an arrangement for securing the axe while the fireman is not holding it and which makes it readily available for use as required.

The usual fabric hose employed in fire lighting may also be manipulated by use of the pike pole as indicated in FIG. 8. Here the hose. in its flattened state as indicated at 36, is fitted in the recess with its bottom edge in the bottom ofthe recess against the llat end 18 and its top tightly compressed in the upper portion of the recess against the pin 15. It also bears against the rounded shoulder 16, but is not securely restrained against its longitudinal movement in the recess. A flat. empty hose may be handled in this manner by the pike pole and moved to various positions as required and then readily released. Thus, the hose may be passed to a fireman and he in turn may move it along to another position as required by circumstances. The pike pole may also be used in this manner to hold a portion of a hose while it is being arranged along the path of use in order to avoid its dropping into portions of a structure, for example, which would make it difficult to draw it along to the required position. In any event. it may readily be released by sliding the pin 15 when it is to be used.

In FIG. 9 the use ofthe pike head to hold a relatively rigid hose indicated at 37 is illustrated, the hose 37 fitting in the rounded seat 16 and being held against the pointed portion 11 and the pin 15. The hose held in this manner may be located as desired by movement of the pike pole or may be held in position during use. The pike pole may thus be used to hold the hose in a position at a point remote from the fireman and maybe retrieved quickly when it has been used or when the cir cumstanees make it necessary.

The pike head constructed as illustrated provides the usual functions performed by the pointed end 12 and the hook I4 and further provides for additional useful operations in the holding or transferring of tools or other equipment or objects required in fire fighting. The pike pole constructed in this manner provides a highly useful tool which is versatile in its application to many different object attaching moving or manipulating situations. The provision for attaching and moving tools and the like at the end ofa long pole is highly useful and provides advantages not available in the standard or conventional pike head. At the same time this head provides the usual pike pole function and may be used in the regular fashion for moving or ripping shingles, boards or the like for access to fire zones.

While l have illustrated and described my invention in connection with a specific structural arrangement,

various other modifications and configurations will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore. I do not desire that my invention be limited to the details of construction illustrated and intend by the appended claims to cover all modifications which fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

l claim:

I. A metal head for a fireman s pike pole, or the like comprising:

a shank for attachment to a pole;

a substantially flat body portion rigidly mounted on said shank;

said body portion having a generally triangular out' line and comprising an elongated pointed portion extending in alignment with said shank and a lateral portion having a laterally extending hook thereon. and located inwardly from the end of the pointed portion;

said body portion having a recess between said pointed portion and said lateral portion and open ing toward the end of said pointed portion; and.

a retractable locking element mounted on said lateral portion and extending across the open end of said recess to close said recess whereby an object may be held in said recess and manipulated by the pike pole.

2. A metal head for a fireman's pike pole or the like as set forth in claim I wherein said lateral portion has at least one shoulder formed on its outer wall within said recess and faces the open end of said recess whereby objects of at least two different configurations may be firmly secured within said recess between the walls thereof and said locking element.

3. A metal head for a fircmans pike pole or the like as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer portion of the recess wall has a rounded shoulder for receiving a round hose or the like. said recess being narrowed toward the bottom thereof for receiving an axe head or other object of slender cross section.

4. A metal head for a firemans pike pole or the like as set forth in claim I wherein said locking element is a bar slidably mounted in the outer end of said lateral portion for transverse movement toward and away from said pointed portion, and a spring arranged on said lateral portion for urging said bar toward said pointed portion to close said recess.

5. A metal head for a firemans pike pole or the like set forth in claim 1 wherein the recess has a straight wall along the pointed portion and an outwardly stepped wall along the lateral portion extending from a narrow section at the bottom to a wide section at the open end thereof whereby a plurality of recess widths are provided for holding objects of different cross sections between said element and the walls of said recess. 

1. A metal head for a fireman''s pike pole, or the like comprising: a shank for attachment to a pole; a substantially flat body portion rigidly mounted on said shank; said body portion having a generally triangular outline and comprising an elongated pointed portion extending in alignment with said shank and a lateral portion having a laterally extending hook thereon, and located inwardly from the end of the pointed portion; said body portion having a recess between said pointed portion and said lateral portion and opening toward the end of said pointed portion; and, a retractAble locking element mounted on said lateral portion and extending across the open end of said recess to close said recess whereby an object may be held in said recess and manipulated by the pike pole.
 2. A metal head for a fireman''s pike pole or the like as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lateral portion has at least one shoulder formed on its outer wall within said recess and faces the open end of said recess whereby objects of at least two different configurations may be firmly secured within said recess between the walls thereof and said locking element.
 3. A metal head for a fireman''s pike pole or the like as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer portion of the recess wall has a rounded shoulder for receiving a round hose or the like, said recess being narrowed toward the bottom thereof for receiving an axe head or other object of slender cross section.
 4. A metal head for a fireman''s pike pole or the like as set forth in claim 1 wherein said locking element is a bar slidably mounted in the outer end of said lateral portion for transverse movement toward and away from said pointed portion, and a spring arranged on said lateral portion for urging said bar toward said pointed portion to close said recess.
 5. A metal head for a fireman''s pike pole or the like as set forth in claim 1 wherein the recess has a straight wall along the pointed portion and an outwardly stepped wall along the lateral portion extending from a narrow section at the bottom to a wide section at the open end thereof whereby a plurality of recess widths are provided for holding objects of different cross sections between said element and the walls of said recess. 